DS Automobilies Tyre Safety

Safer tyres mean safer driving

Tyres are a key safety feature of your vehicle, e.g. worn tyres could mean that your braking distance could increase by up to 70% on a wet road. The correct tyres, pressures and wear levels ensure that your vehicle performs properly in all conditions.

We love working on your vehicle, but we’re even more passionate about your safety. Because fitting the right tyres is only half the story - they need to be regularly checked and maintained to make sure they’re performing to their maximum capacity.

Your braking, steering, economy and driving performance are all affected by how well your tyres are doing their job (especially in Winter) so it pays to take care of them. 

How to check your tyres

Because we really care about your safety at DS Stafford, here’s a few facts you need to know:

1) Your tyres need to have a minimum of 5mm or more tread to perform at their optimal performance level.

2) Winter tyres are specifically designed with different tread to deal with ice and snow, and are made from a tougher compound that stays flexible at lower temperatures.

3) The carefully designed tread pattern of a tyre helps to disperse water on the road. But as the tread wears down, the tyre loses its ability to remove the water from the road surface – so you lose grip and control.

4) A new tyre has at least 8mm of tread and will stop 10+ metres shorter than a tyre with only 1.6mm of tread.

Average 50mph stopping distance

Five ways to tell if your tyres need attention

If your car isn’t quite new, or if you haven’t changed your tyres for a while, then it’s a really good idea to check to see how they’re wearing.

Here are five simple ways you can do this yourself:

The Coin Test

Place a 20p coin into the main tread grooves of your tyre. If the outer band of the coin is hidden by the rubber, then your tread is above the legal limit of 1.6mm (within the central three quarters of the tread).

Tyre Match

Check all your tyres match by looking at the tread pattern and make of each tyre as all should be exactly the same.

Wheel Wobble

Does your steering wheel vibrate at around 40-50mph? If so, one or more of your tyres needs balancing or replacing.

Steering Pulls

If your car seems to be slowly veering in one direction then your tracking is out, your tyre pressure is unequal or the tread on the front tyres doesn’t match.

Sidewall Damage

Check the sides of the tyres for any cracks, splits or blisters; this usually happens on older tyres and it signifies they need replacing.

If you’re experiencing any of these issues, or if you just haven’t had your tyres checked professionally for a while, then pop along to DS Stafford and we’ll advise you on the best course of action.